And May the Odds be EVER in Your Favour
by waiting4the1
Summary: It is the First Hunger Games. The unease is still fresh in the districts, the Capitol viewers not yet the bloodthirsty viewers we love.
1. Chapter 1

Out of the ashes;

THE CAPITOL

The twelve women, each with a different, unnaturally coloured wig, got onto twelve different trains.

This was the first year after The War, after District 13 had been eliminated. The had heard talk on the streets, that they were now calling it "The Dark Days."

They had a new job now, these women. It was the first year of what was being called "The Hunger Games." As the districts had rebelled in the past, they would punish then in an televised fight to the death of their children, 24 of them, a boy and girl for each district.

The twelve woman in the twelve trains left the station.


	2. District One

DISTICT ONE

Victoria Nicholas is met by Mayor Avery at the train station. She looks that the man, slightly overweight and balding, then tentatively extends her hand. He shakes it with his sweaty one quickly.

Her voice, clear and crisp, rings out in the mostly empty station. "You know why I am here?"

The Mayor nods. "Yes, although I can't say I approve. Do you not think it is barbaric?"

Victoria internally agrees. "No. It is your just punishment." The line had been given to her by the capitol. "The Reaping is at noon, yes?"

The Mayor nods, his head shining in the stark artificial light. "It is nine, I will show you back to your housing so you may prepair."

Victoria gave a slight nod.

Three hours later, she was standing on the platform, giving her mandatory speech, introducing the crowd to the concept of The Hunger Games, of the Reaping, of the rules. The children stand in clusters, scared that the would be called to their death.

Victoria reaches into the Girl's Reaping Ball. She pulles out a piece of paper. The crowd is silent.

"Gabriella Mason."

A small girl, with mousy features and appears to be no more then twelve years old, pushes her way forward from a group of children who must be relations, trying not to cry (and failing).

"Would anyone like to volunteer to take Gabriella's place in the history books?"

First, she sees a hand, then an arm, then a face of a girl, older than Gabriella, but not by much.

"I would." Her voice is loud, her features molded as if by plastic. "Nevaeh Evan."

Victoria nods, wondering what Gabriella means to Nevaeh if she volunteered to take her place.

Nevaeh takes her place next to Victoria onstage, Victoria reads the Boy's name.

"Landon Riley."

This boy looked about twenty, but Victoria new he was no older than 18. She asked for volunteers. There was no one.

The ceremony ends, they leave the stage.


	3. District Two

DISTRICT TWO

Evelyn I. (The 'I' was for Isabelle, and old-fashion name that was her also grandmother's.) Jacobs stepped off of the train into crisp mountain air and smoothed her skirt.

_District Two. Stone mining._

Evelyn rolled her eyes. Very helpful, she had already known that. She'd been hoping for a picture of the mayor, because the open station was full of workers, loading and unloading several different types of stones (She honestly thought it'd be rude to call them rocks, tho that was what they were) into trains, and frankly, they all looked alike. She supposed the mayor would be in here somewhere. Evelyn smiled, it reminded her of an old book with yellowed pages that her grandmother would show her when she was little, Where's Waldo. Of course, here, she did not have her grandmother helping her, or the advantage of an areal view. Here, her best strategy would to be ask someone.

Evelyn walked up to a small woman, with dirt on her face, who was approaching Evelyn, meeting the woman half-way. "Excuse me, ma'am? Would you mind pointing me towards the mayor?"

The woman smiles. "At your service. Emma Michaels, Mayor of District Two. You here from Capitol?" The mayor's voice has slight snide to it, as it named the Capitol.

Evelyn nods slightly.

The mayor shakes her head. "Hunger Games right? Dear God, although I have no idea if there is one at this point, what is this world coming to? Sending our children off to kill each other. I don't like it"

Evelyn bites her lip, quite taken with Mayor Emma Michaels. "You might want to watch what you say. Big Brother is watching." Another book with yellowed pages that her grandmother owned. She knew that the mayor would not get the reference, but it had felt like the right thing to say.

Hours later, Evelyn was standing in front of a crowd of people who hated her because of what she was here to do. She gives a speech with a sad smile, then draws a girl's name.

"Olivia Alexander."

A slender girl with blonde hair who was intimidating despite her tiny frame stepped forward. Evelyn asked for volunteers. There were none.

Evelyn drew the boy's name.

"William Daniels."

A sixteen year old, who was almost a man from working in the mines, walked to the stage. There was no volunteers for him, either.

She smiled sadly. "Let the games began."


End file.
